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minty3 writes "The new snail species, Zospeum tholussum, has no eyes or pigmentation on its shell and is considered to be a true eutroglobiont or cave-dweller. It was found by a team of cavers and biologists from the Croatian Biospeleological Society. While on an expedition to determine the cave’s depth, they collected animal specimens including one of the previously unidentified snails along with eight of its empty shells."

I'm sorry... there's spelunking. There's caves (trolls! darkness!). There's a brand-new species. It doesn't even have eyes (take that, Beholder!). It's something that makes a neat trace for evolution (eat that, micro-evolutionists!). It shows what is necessary for species to survive - sometimes, that's something completely different from what we expect.

And somehow, that's not news for nerds? Stuff that matters? Go shove your "I need things to cater to myself exclusively" attitude so far up your ass that you'll find your own species of blind, unpigmented species of snails.

Ok, what are the odds of two/. stories containing references to the Beholder? Here is the other comment on the 3D gun art story: Art [slashdot.org]

What is even more weird is that I just found my box of D&D books in my parents attic. I showed my kids, including the Beholder. Sadly, they were disinterested in the books. Video games makes it way too easy to play RPG.

It's science. It's the discovery of a new species. It involves caves and exploration to depths previously unreached. It involves slimy creatures that the mainstream wouldn't love -- tiny little snails with no eyes and translucent shells and bodies that hitch a ride on bigger mammals to cover large distances. Where is your inner child such that you look at those pictures and feel no sense of wonder or joy about it?

If you can't find a single nerdy interest in all of this, and all you have to offer is some

It must be (biologically) expensive to grow a shell, so this critter must have them for a pretty good reason. Protection from other snails? To survive dry periods?
To be less edible to "a small, slimy creature" with "lamp-like" eyes?